1st March 2003

Past Time Rail
The Spinnin' State VI

Locos Used 37109, 37216, 56091, 60008 & 92024
Stock Used 6311+3100+3110+4949+4916+5008+1658+4956+5005+4938+4991+21246

Route :
1Z54 :
Euston to Preston
1Z64 :
Preston to Euston

Loco(s) Route
37109 + 37216 Euston - Willesden West London Jn - Willesden SW Sidings - Acton Wells Jn - Acton Main Line - (via GWML) - Reading - Didcot (via avoiding line) - Oxford - Wolvercott Jn - Aynho Jn - Banbury - Leamington Spa - Dorridge - Tyseley - Bordesley Jn - St Andrews Jn - Landor St Jn - Castle Bromwich Jn - Park Lane Jn - Ryecroft Jn - Walsall - Bescot DUGL
92024 Bescot DUGL - Portobello Jn - Bushbury Jn - Stafford - (via WCML) - Preston
60008 Preston - (via WCML) - Warrington Bank Quay
56091 Warrington Bank Quay - Walton Old Jn - Acton Grange Jn - Frodsham Jn - Hesby - Mickle Trafford Jn - Chester - Saltney Jn - Wrexham General - Gobowen - Shrewsbury - Wellington - Wolverhampton - Portobello Jn - Bescot Stadium - Perry Barr North Jn - Aston - Stechford - Birmingham International
37109 + 37216 Birmingham International - Coventry - Rugby - Long Buckby - Northampton - Hanslope Jn - (via WCML) - London Euston

Notes:
Tour was originally advertised to go from Preston to Liverpool with the class 60 and have the final loco change at Bescot DUGL.


37109 leads 37216 at Banbury in the rain (photo: Gary Thornton)

Sources : various

Tour Review
(by David Russell)

Past Time Rail’s “Spinning State 6” was one of those tours which didn’t particularly grab my attention – probably because of its awkward pick up and set down points. Apart from London Euston, the only other advertised pick up was at Banbury. The problem with this was that it didn’t set down at Banbury, the only other advertised set down being at Coventry. Coventry somehow became Birmingham International in the week leading up to the tour, which made it even more unfriendly (Webmasters comment: agreed, that's one reason why I didn't do the tour, even though I needed both 37's for haulage. Another was that I didn't need any of the other locos rumoured to work the train).

It was only when, a day or two before the tour, that news spread that 37047+37372 or 37109+37216 were likely to be on the tour that I decided that I would travel on it. 37047 and 37216 were both required so it looked like I would be on for at least one score. In the event, 37109+37216 worked the train so I was happy.

With an 11.33 departure from Banbury, this meant I could have quite a late start compared to some railtours I have been on in the past few years. After driving down to Birmingham International, I caught the 09.15 to Banbury, formed of a Virgin Voyager, my first journey in one of these. I would have caught the one an hour later if I were more confident in Virgin’s reliability! At least this gave time to hunt out a supermarket for breakfast in Banbury before returning to the station, where I bumped into this site’s webmaster who was there to photograph the train.

The two 37s rolled in a few minutes early, and myself and other ‘pay on the day’ passengers were directed to coaches C, D, E or F. The train was only around half full, and I got a bay of 4 seats to myself for the day. The journey north was via Leamington, Solihull, Tyseley, Saltley and the Sutton Park line to Bescot Yard. At Bescot, the train reversed, with 92024 being attached to the opposite end for the journey north. Bescot was very busy, with all WCML services diverted through here, and in the 30 minutes the tour was stood there, several Virgin trains and a couple of Freightliners (one hauled by 66537 – a sight scratch!) went past.

I was pleased with the Class 92, as it had worked a tour last April when I was away on holiday so hadn’t been on that train. However, a lot of others on board were disappointed, and some people gave the tour a miss because they did not require it. You can never keep everyone happy! 92024 took the train to Preston, where there was a break of an hour or so before returning south.

From Preston, the tour was hauled by a Class 60 to Warrington, with the Class 92 tucked inside to return it south. 60008 was the loco for this section, and I think I must have been one of very few people on board who actually required it – the loco had last worked a railtour less than two months ago (Hertfordshire’s “Walsall Concerto” in January). At Warrington, the 60 and 92 were removed and replaced by 56091 for the run back to Birmingham International, via Chester and Shrewsbury. I didn’t need the 56, but always enjoy a run behind one of the class. Shame it was virtually all in the dark though. Arrival back into Birmingham International, where I alighted, was around 30 minutes early. As I got into my car, I heard the 37s backing onto the train for the return run back to Euston. With 3 out of 5 locos scored, this was a good tour for me loco-wise with a couple of ‘claw backs’. I doubt many others were pleased with the motive power though.

David Russell

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(actual times courtesy of Joe Sharples)

Location Booked Actual
Euston 09.05d 09.05
Camden Jn 09/10 -
Willesden West London Jn 09/14 09/15
Willesden SW Sidings 09/16 -
Acton Wells Jn 09/19 09/18
Acton Main Line 09/23 09/24
Acton West 09/25 -
Southall 09/32 09/30
Heathrow Airport Jn 09/37 09/32
Slough 09/51 09/39
Maidenhead 09/57 09/44
Twyford 10/04 09/49
Reading 10/16 10.07a ~ 10.12d
Didcot East Jn 10/35 10/26
Didcot Parkway 10/40 DIV (avoiding line)
Oxford DML 10.53a ~ 11.06d 10.39 ~ 10.51
Wolvercot Jn 11/11 10/59
Aynho Jn 11/24 11/14
Banbury 11.31a ~ 11.33d 11.26 ~ 11.37
Fenny Compton 11/42 11/50
Leamington Spa 11/51 12/01
Hatton 12/00 12/07
Dorridge 12/17 12/13
Tyseley 12/31 12/26
Small Heath South Jn 12/33 -
Bordesley Jn 12/34 12/30
St Andrews Jn 12/36 12/31
Landor St Jn 12/38 12/39
Castle Bromwich Jn 12/46 12/47
Park Lane Jn 12/48 12/49
Ryecroft Jn 13/16 -
Walsall 13/32 13/08
Pleck Jn 13/34 13/10
Bescot Jn 13/36 -
Bescot DUGL 13L39a ~ 13L59d 13.16 ~ 13.41
Bescot Jn 14/02 13/51
Darlaston Jn 14/03 13/54
Portobello Jn 14/07 -
Bushbury Jn 14/12 14/06
Stafford 14/26 14/16
Norton Bridge 14/30 14/21
Madeley 14/39 -
Basford Hall Jn 14/46 -
Crewe 14/50 14/37
Crewe Coal Yard 14/51 -
Winsford SB 14/57 -
Weaver Jn 15*03a ~ 15*10d 14/50
Acton Grange Jn 15/16 14/52
Warrington Bank Quay 15/19 14/55
Dallam Jn 15/20 -
Winwick Jn 15/21 -
Springs Branch Jn 15/28 -
Wigan North Western 15/34 15/15
Balshaw Lane Jn 15/42 -
Euxton Jn 15/43 15/23
Preston 15L50a ~ 16L33d 15.31 ~ 16.35
Euxton Jn 16/41 16/43
Balshaw Lane Jn 16/44 -
Wigan North Western 16/52 16/54
Springs Branch Jn 16/54 -
Winwick Jn 17/01 -
Dallam Jn 17/04 -
Warrington Bank Quay 17L06a ~ 17L21d ??.?? ~ 17.36
Walton Old Jn 17/26 -
Acton Grange Jn 17/28 -
Frodsham Jn 17/34 -
Helsby 17/39 17/49
Mickle Trafford Jn 17/48 -
Chester 17/53 18/00
Chester South Jn 17/54 -
Saltney Jn 17/56 -
Wrexham General 18/10 18/16
Gobowen 18/24 -
Shrewsbury 19*00a ~ 19*05d 19.08 ~ 19.09
Abbey Foregate Jn 19/09 -
Wellington 19/19 19/23
Telford Central 19/27 19/28
Cosford 19/34 -
Oxley SB 19/43 -
Wolverhampton North Jn 19/53 -
Wolverhampton ??/?? 19/47
Portobello Jn 20/13 19/52
Darlaston 20/18 -
Bescot Stadium 20/19 19/58
Perry Barr North Jn 20/25 -
Aston 20/31 20/06
Stechford 20/45 -
Birmingham International 20L52a ~ 21L22d 20.21 ~ 21.19
Coventry 21/34 21/32
Rugby 21/45 21/45
Long Buckby 21/57 21/55
Northampton 22/09 22/05
Hanslope Jn 22/19 -
Milton Keynes Central 22.27a ~ 22.29d 22.24 ~ 22.25
Bletchley 22/34 22/32
Ledburn Jn 22/43 -
Tring 22/51 -
Watford Junction 23/09 23.04a ~ 23.05d
Harrow & Wealdstone 23/21 -
Wembley Central 23/26 23/14
Willesden West London Jn 23/32 -
Camden Jn 23/37 -
Euston 23.45a -

Key;
a : arrival time
c : crew change
d : departure time
L : loco change
/ : passing time

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